Where He's Vulnerable
by Red Moon Kree
Summary: There are a lot of things on Almighty Tallest Red's mind when another race of aliens start a war with them. He thought he could never get attached to anyone or anything; the closest to anyone would be Purple, but things change....Please see author's note
1. Transmissions

Well, this is my first fic that is focused on the Almighty Tallests. Sooo . . . ^.^* hope it brings some interest . . . . .  
  
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Both Almighty Tallest Red and Almighty Tallest Purple stared intently at the screen, waiting for a report. Two reports to be exact. One from Zim and one from his commanding officers. They looked at each other and Purple sighed and dropped his head.  
  
"Hey, Purple," Red weakly smiled. "What's wrong?"  
  
It took a while before he could answer. Finally, he turned to Red. "Do you think it's over?"  
  
"Over?"  
  
"You know. Us begin the rulers. Us everything. Us being together. Us living. Us holding the Irken Empire together. Many are starting to doubt us. They are joining the Gorokens."  
  
"Are you doubting us?" Red tried to not to snicker. "We are the supreme rulers. We'll never lose our power and fail to hold the Irken Empire together. And for those Irkens who are left, are they not the best, bravest, strongest, and the most loyal of our soldiers? There is no reason to be afraid, Purp, don't worry." Red placed his claw on Purple's shoulder. "And you know we're inseparable. Through everything, we'll be together."  
  
Red took Purple's claw and held it with his. They grinned boyish grins, ones they hadn't shown since the times they use to assassinate each other.  
  
"Incoming Transmission . . ." beeped the computer. The Tallests looked toward the screen and saw the static becoming clear to show Zim, Dib, Gaz, and Kree.  
  
"My Tallests," bowed Zim, who had grown taller because of the human diet. "We are all prepared to fight. We'll do whatever to defend the Irken Empire, and our loyalty is yours."  
  
They all bowed. Red observed them all. They were all solemn, serious, all in a state that he had never seen them like. Dib and Zim would even have a quarrel during the report or something close to a fight. They would all be sarcastic and joking, but today was different. Even GIR, who was in the background, was in a salute.  
  
"Thank you all." Purple replied.  
  
"It is the least we can do, Tallests." Kree said.  
  
"Your officers have began their journey home safely, and expect a report anytime soon. We'll be flying over there in our ships shortly." Dib added.  
  
"We'll expect you." Red said.  
  
"This is Invader Zim-"  
  
"Dib Membrane-"  
  
"Kree Sever-"  
  
"Gaz Membrane-"  
  
"Signing off." Zim saluted and finished. The screen became static, but only for a moment, because another transmission came in right after.  
  
"My Tallests!" Greeted the Commander, who was in Purple robes. "We arrived safely on Earth, and requested help from Zim."  
  
"Yes, thank you." Red thanked, remembering the way he would always use to be sarcastic to them, but there wasn't time for that anymore.  
  
"We are on our way . . . but . . . ."  
  
"But?" Purple questioned.  
  
"Well, an Earthling was spying on us. And we well, we couldn't get rid of her. So we um . . . well, captured her and she is with us."  
  
"What?!" Red shouted.  
  
"She knows everything about the war and our secrets. She is too much of a threat to the Irken Empire. If any of the Gorokens find her, which they can very quickly, they will use her." The Commander explained.  
  
"She?" Purple finally forced out, flabbergasted.  
  
"Well, yes . . ." Then a large yell was heard in the background. "Um, just a moment . . . ." The Commander turned around. "WHAT?" He yelled. "YOU LET HER ESCAPE??? WHAT DO YOU MEAN SHE ESCAPED ON HER OWN??? NO ONE CAN ESCAPE AND IRKEN PRISON!!" He turned back to the Tallests and tired to look calm again. "We'll sign off. Expect us shortly." The screen went static.  
  
They looked at each other again. Red shook his head. "Another issue to deal with. Her. This is more chaotic than even listening to Zim's transmissions before."  
  
"I know . . ." That wasn't on Purple's mind though. "Her . . . Sheesh . . . . Some tough human."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"If I ever meet someone, it will be an Irken."  
  
"Someone?"  
  
"A her." Purple grinned.  
  
"Oh."  
  
"She'll be tough, just like her. But into books . . . and smoke machines . . . heh heh . . ."  
  
Red glanced at Purple, grinning to. "Sorry, Purple, but . . . lasers" he lowered his voice.  
  
A laser came into view. "AAGHHHHH!" Purple yelled.  
  
Red began to laugh. "That wasn't even a laser! That was a light!!!" He laughed. "Sorry bout that . . . hehe . . . I wanted to have a little bit of our old life . . ."  
  
Purple smiled. "Yeah, I was forgetting what it was like . . ."  
  
They heard the Commander's ship fly in. They would have to meet the human now and determine whether she would live or die . . .  
  
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Plz …………… review . . . . . . 


	2. First Sight

This is actually a story I'm beginning to think that will do well . . . anyway, as well as my disclaimer, I have a claimer too.  
  
All rights reserved of The Almighty Tallests, Zim, Dib, and GIR, by Jhonen Vasquez. The do NOT belong to me.  
  
BUT . . . .. . . . . …. Kree and Ri belong to MEEEEEEE!!!!  
  
Okay now . . . on with the story . . . . . . . .. .  
  
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The Almighty Tallests took their seats on the throne. In both of their minds, they were confused and didn't know what they should do with this human girl. Should they dispose of her? Should they force her to be silent? Should they just let her go? Not many possibilities ran through their minds.  
  
"My Tallests." The Commander stepped forward and bowed. He was an Irken maybe about 5'10'', a pretty good height to be at. He pointed to the doors and they opened. Five Irkens, FIVE Irkens, brought the girl in. She was struggling trying to escape, kicking them, but the Irken guards hit her with a shock spear so soon she became weaker and weaker.  
  
She had long black hair in a ponytail. She had light brown eyes that showed every bit of spunk in her. She wore a vest like kind of jacket with no sleeves and an opening in the middle. She wore a plain blue shirt and long black pants. She wore black boots as well. She was about the same height as the Commander as well.  
  
Purple stood up and motioned to the girl. "You need FIVE Irkens to bring her in?" Purple said in Irken to the Commander.  
  
"Well, normally it would take ten humans to get me." She said in crisp Irken. "I guess, it's not that bad. You take just as half as many Irkens to get me." She smirked at the Tallests.  
  
Purple's jaw dropped. "You can . . . you can speak Irken?!" he said in English.  
  
"Irken?" She replied back in English. "Is that what it's called?"  
  
"Clever girl." Red smiled at her. "Where did you learn to speak Irken?"  
  
"I learned it by myself." She snickered.  
  
"I never realized there were more *smart* humans on Earth." Red laughed.  
  
"Well, I always though aliens were superior beings. I guess I was wrong. I wonder if you can *actually* understand me?" She smirked again. "Doi . . ." She imitated a demented retard.  
  
Purple scowled. "We aren't stupid."  
  
She put her fingers to her mouth. "Oh, I'm sooo sorry." She said sarcastically. "I hope that comment didn't make you want to run home to your mommy. Wait . . . this is your home . . . you mommy shouldn't be so far from here."  
  
"Can't you at least assume who we are?" Purple questioned.  
  
"I do know, but what difference does that make? So, you're the rulers of the planet! Big deal! You're no different than some bum off the street."  
  
Red smiled, getting a bit of pleasure from her. He usually liked having a bit of rivalry and liked a challenger of wit. He stared into her eyes and smiled. She smiled back. His first sight of this human girl. Purple didn't seem to notice Red's attention towards the girl.  
  
"ATTACK!!!!! THE GOROKENS ARE ATTACKING US!!!" A voice from outside screamed.  
  
Purple stood up immediately. "We don't have time to settle this issue now! Everyone! To their vootrunners! We defend now!" He ordered.  
  
Red looked at Purple and he looked back. They took each other claws and shook. Red pat Purple on the back and mouthed to him, "don't worry. Nothing will happen".  
  
The Irken guards who were holding the girl let go of her and she was able to run outside. She too, jumped into a vootrunner, the one that just *happened* to be Red's. Red ran outside too and got into his vootrunner. It would be most unusual for a Tallest to fight in these battles if it was years ago, but now it was necessary. Purple and Red had agreed to it. She stood against the wall so that Red could just pass her by without noticing she was there. He sat down in a seat. He started the vootrunner and it began to lift.  
  
"Interesting technology, but yet similar to ours." She calmly walked over to the seat that was beside him on the left and sat down.  
  
"WHAT? WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?" Red questioned staring at her.  
  
"Helping you." She grasped two controls and pressed the button in the back of them. A screen came up and it showed the enemy ships and an "AIM" circle. She steered the circle to a ship and shot it. Laser gun noises was heard and before them in the window, they saw a ship blow up. "You steer, I shoot."  
  
Red shrugged, but he agreed. He didn't want to waste time arguing with the human, but for some reason, he actually trusted her.  
  
"Over there." Red gritted his teeth in intensity.  
  
She aimed it one and shot it. It kept on going on and on like that. They steered towards the enemy ships and destroyed them one by one. They were mostly silent, too much in concentration to notice anyway, but Red would turn and glance at her every once in a while. He watched her crinkle her eyebrows as she focused on a target and shot. Then she would release all her concentration, but look for the next target. He smiled.  
  
"Wait, turn a little to right." She said firmly.  
  
Red not knowing why, but didn't want to bother asking anyway, turned to the right. An enemy ship was right at the tail of another Irken ship, shooting, and the Irken ship was struggling to get away. For this target, she was more intense than any other of the targets. She shot carefully, but quickly, and hardly. The Goroken ship immediately blew up into flames. The Irken ship flew into view so that the driver could be seen . . . .  
  
It was Purple. He waved and flew away.  
  
Red stared at her, flabbergasted. "How . . . wha . . . how . . . why . . ."  
  
"What?"  
  
"How did you know that Purple was in that ship?" He asked first.  
  
"I saw him fly by when he was being chased. He gave a signal, a motion for help." She replied as she kept her eyes on the screen and her hands on the controls, shooting another ship.  
  
"Why . . . . Why did you save Purple?"  
  
"WE." She corrected. "You steered to the right, I shot. Half and half."  
  
"So, why?"  
  
She looked at him for the first time they were on the vootrunner. "I'm not blind, you know. And I can lip read."  
  
"What does that have to do with anything?" Red questioned.  
  
"Okay, to put things simply, you both looked like good friends, or something like that." She said plainly, but somehow, she looked as if she were lying. He could just tell it in her voice and the way she looked away as she said it. "Does that satisfy you, my Tallest?" She sneered.  
  
"Now I'm starting to hear some respect from you." He grinned, forgetting about the situation completely.  
  
"Great! Now I just need to hear respect from you to me and we'll all be happy!" She rolled her eyes.  
  
"But you're not happy . . . ." Red added along with the sarcasm. "How can I be happy, if you're not happy?"  
  
"Face it; the enemies out there are not happy. The Gorokens who are blowing up are not happy. You're not happy, but then again, is your happiness any concern of mine?"  
  
Red, speechless in defeat, couldn't think of another remark to the throw. He slumped back into his seat. He smirked at her. She smirked back. He was terribly furious with her. He wanted to get back at her. He wanted to something to her. He couldn't resist competition, but why was it he couldn't help smiling when he looked at her?  
  
"So . . ." he started, trying to make conversation. "How did you learn the Irken language, anyway?"  
  
"I'm fluent in language." She lied again and he could tell. Was it she wasn't good at lying, or he was excellent at knowing what was a lie, or was everything to him a lie?  
  
Red decided to just continue with conversation anyway. "So am I. Purple too. We know all the languages ever known, including all your human languages. Cept for one. Purple doesn't know one of them."  
  
"Oh? Which one?"  
  
"French."  
  
"French? That's kind of embarrassing . . ."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"It's a very popular language. Sometimes it's even a required language."  
  
"Heh, I'll remember that. Something to rub on Purple later . . . ."  
  
A scratchy voice spoke through the speaker on the vootrunner: "All cleared! They have retreated! Come back for landing!"  
  
"All right!" Red said happily. The slapped hands. "So, let's go back in now . . . ."  
  
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"So, what should we do with the prisoner?" The Commander asked.  
  
"Well, we won't kill her." Said Red trying to make this go his way.  
  
"For now, anyway." Purple interrupted. Red wouldn't get his way, Red saw that Purple was pretty much giving most of the orders. "Put her in the prison for now . . . ."  
  
"C'était une réunion de plaisir vous, pourpre le plus grand tout- puissant." She bowed.  
  
"God no . . . is she speaking French?" Purple slouched in his throne seat .  
  
"Oui." Red smiled, just to mock him. "C'était une réunion de plaisir vous, mon ami humain, et remercie encore."  
  
"La mine du plaisir." She stopped as the guards began to lead her away. She turned around once while she was walking. "Mon nom est Ri."  
  
Red smiled. "Mon nom est Rouge."  
  
Red kept his smile on his face, until Purple finally started staring at him, and hitting him a bit. Red didn't seem to mind anyway.  
  
Her name was Ri.  
  
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For the REALLY curious who want to know what those French thingys said, just go on your Internet browser and type, SYSTRAN.net  
  
Plz review!  
  
  
  
  
  
, 


	3. The Same Reason You Saved Purple

Red walked down the steps stealthily and quietly. It was quite strange of him to do that because he did have access to every place in the Empire, but it wasn't the guards he was worried about. In fact, he wasn't worried about anything. He just wanted to catch a glimpse of her before she saw him . .. . .  
  
He spotted the cell she was in. There she was; shivering, laying down in a curled ball, closing her eyes and sleeping in the hay. Her face was wearing an expression of pain, and she looked quite uncomfortable. For an Irken who didn't really care much about anyone or anything, he looked quite distressed as well.  
  
He opened her jail door. He couldn't believe she was actually in this jail. More than anything, he wanted to get her out. For some reason, that was his only desire.  
  
He sat by her and waited. He waited for over two hours in the cold and dark prison. He played with her soft ebony black hair, twisting it around his claws. He studied her for awhile, he had never really studied a human up close before with as much time as he liked. And she was … What was that human word???  
  
He touched her face with his claw. All of a sudden, as he brushed his claw against her face, it cut her skin and fresh blood came out.  
  
She woke up immediately, sitting up instantaneously. She stared at him suspiciously.  
  
"I'm … I'm sorry." Red quickly stuttered.  
  
She felt her face, touching the blood with her fingers and looking at it. "It's okay." She finally said. It isn't the worst thing that has ever happened to me before." She shivered again, her arms trying to warm herself as much as possible.  
  
Red saw this and quickly felt sorry for her. He couldn't really feel the chill in his warm regal clothes. "So, do you want a blanket or something?" He asked her.  
  
"No, that's okay …" She started, shivering again. "I supposed I could make a blanket out of the hay, but I'm too last to do it now." She lay down again. "And I don't think a royal should wear out his hands worn for the sake of a prisoner."  
  
"I like to weary my /claws/ especially in battle." Red grinned. "A pleasurable feeling to have your enemy's blood dripping down your claws, or hands in your case."  
  
"Heh." She smiled weakly. "Am I your enemy?'  
  
"Well… not exactly. But I couldn't care much for your blood anyway."  
  
"Why, red doesn't suit you?"  
  
Red rolled his eyes, knowing he had lost again.  
  
"I'm going to sleep, get some more energy from that in place of eating." She closed her eyes.  
  
Red immediately left. He ordered for some servants at once. "I want the warmest blanket there is! I have been getting extremely cold during the night. I need another blanket!" He yelled.  
  
"Sir, we can just get the heating system working into your room." One said.  
  
"No, I want a blanket! Do you have authority to question me?" Red demanded.  
  
"No, sir." The Irken servant went to fetch the blanket, muttering curses. He brought it to Red and handed it to him.  
  
"Thank you, now here's your tip." Red said, dropping a few gebels (Irken money) into the servant's hands. He carried the blanket, turned around, and bumped into Purple.  
  
"Red?" Purple looked at him suspiciously.  
  
"Oh, hi Purp." Red weakly smiled.  
  
"What are you doing with that blanket?" He eyed the blanket.  
  
"I get cold at night, for some reason."  
  
"We'll turn the heating system higher."  
  
"Naw, that's okay. I'd much rather have the blanket anyway. It's nice to feel." Red quickly lied.  
  
"Whatever you say …" Purple said. "I'm going to the library, okay?"  
  
"Yeah, sure. I'll be busy for awhile, I'll meet you later." Red turned around and headed toward the prison … with Purple seeing him go there. Purple shook his head, with hatred in his eyes, and left for the library. He would figure out a plan …  
  
Red quickly rushed down the prison stairs. He could care less about the guards now, so he made as much noise as he pleased. He slid down the banister of the rest of the prison stairs and ran to her cell. He saw her sleeping again, still shivering though.  
  
He opened her door and laid the blanket on her. She stopped shivering and began sleeping peacefully, with no signs of pain on her face. She slept quite emotionless, but it was hard to tell if a smile was creeping up her face.  
  
But she woke up anyway. She noticed a change in the environment and immediately woke up. She saw and felt the blanket placed on her, and then saw the Irken leader sitting right beside her. "Thank you." She finally said.  
  
"Your welcome." Red replied. "Your name is Ri, if I'm not mistaken?"  
  
"What is my name of any importance to you?"  
  
"Much. After all, it was you who saved Purple and many other Irkens."  
  
"Well, if it /is/ that important to you, my name is Ri. And yours, Red?"  
  
"Yes. The others are required to call me Almighty Tallest Red, but you are most certainly welcome to call me Red, my lady." He grinned. Ri blushed a little, but did not let herself go off guard. "So, how did you find the Irken ship?"  
  
"Mostly by taking a stroll. I do that daily every night because I like to get away from home as much as I can. I saw the ship in the woods, neared it, listened to what they were saying, and here I am, on the planet Irk." She shrugged.  
  
"My officers have many flaws." Red shook his head thinking of a few. "It's a pity we don't have skilled soldiers or invaders like we used to have."  
  
"Oh? What would be the description?"  
  
"Strong, obedient, skillful, clever, smart, trustworthy, and loyal. A lot of our soldiers have gone to the Goroken army. The ones that you see left are loyal, I think but few fit the entire description."  
  
"Anyone particular?"  
  
"Not that I can think of who's Irken … But …. Invader Zim, though he was a total failure, isn't that bad."  
  
Ri nodded.  
  
The prison door quickly opened. An officer looked in. "My Tallest, my Lord, Almighty Tallest Purple has called for your audience."  
  
"I'll see you later, Ri." He smiled, and she smiled back. He ran up the stairs and out of the prison. He walked to the library, filled with the strangest thoughts. Purple was sitting in his soft purple armchair, with a stack of books right beside him. "Hi, Purp." He said as he leaned back in his own red armchair.  
  
"Red. I'm glad you could come." Purple began.  
  
"So, what did you want?"  
  
"I think I may have a solution to our problem with the human."  
  
Red gulped. "Ri?"  
  
"Ri?" Purple eyed Red. "Is that what her name is? Well anyway, I have been looking through some of the old history books of politics and the political problems they had. They don't have humans, but I found similar problems and solutions to ours."  
  
"Go on."  
  
"We simply execute her."  
  
"WHAT?"  
  
"We execute her. She already knows too much about the plans and our empire. Even if she is a great soldier, we can't risk having her get captured and tortured for information."  
  
"What about the other soldiers?" Red questioned. "They could be tortured for information as well!"  
  
"But you are forgetting that humans are so much weaker than us. They can be easily persuaded by pain to do anything. They are unpredictable, Red. We can't risk her being alive."  
  
"We can't kill her. She's too good a soldier." Red quickly made up an excuse.  
  
"Are you defending this human, Red? Do you want her to live? Are you simply attached to this human?" Purple eyed him with a deadly stare.  
  
Red sighed. "Fine. We go on with the execution."  
  
"I'm glad we could figure this out. Her execution is schedule for tomorrow."  
  
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Red watched as Ri walked up the platform steps. It wasn't the walk she had walked when she went up to them, struggling with all her might and determination. No, she walked without the least bit ferocity and confidence, almost seeming to give up everything.  
  
The crowd stared up at her. Ri looked at Red. She weakly smiled at him, almost as if she was saying, "don't worry, Red. It will be okay. Nobody's going to get hurt."  
  
Red watched in absolute horror as the shooting squad lined up to face Ri. It was the traditional way to hold an Irken execution, but sometimes different punishments were given. They tied Ri to a wooden pole with rope, and somehow, Red knew that she could easily escape it-but she just didn't want to.  
  
Purple sat relaxed and calm and Red sat with intensity and fear. "Aim." Purple said first. Every Irken up there aimed their guns pointed toward Ri. "Shoot …" They got ready to pull the trigger. Ri sighed, knowing that it was the last breath she'd ever take and knew she had somehow served her purpose.  
  
But that wasn't enough for Red. "STOP!" He yelled and he ran over to the platform, blocking Ri. Somehow, all the words poured into his mind, creating a lie that would work though. "Did you see her performance? Did you see how she didn't struggle at all? Do you really think she would betray the Empire, Purple?" He shouted. He looked at the crowd. "Do you?"  
  
The crowd themselves seemed to shake their heads as well. She didn't seem the traitor type.  
  
"Let her become a soldier, Purple. Please." Red begged his friend.  
  
Purple sighed. "Why are you asking me for? You're a ruler too. Go ahead, get her out."  
  
The guards began to near her to untie her but Red shooed them away. He untied her quickly and took her hand.  
  
"Come on, let me get you a room." He said to her.  
  
"Why … why did you save me, Red?" She stuttered.  
  
"Well, I dunno, but when I asked you why you saved Purple, it didn't sound very truthful. Until you tell me though, let's just put it this way: The same reason you saved Purple." 


	4. AUTHOR'S NOTE

Okay, I've decided I will pause this story for awhile, UNTIL I finish some other stories. I have WAY too many stories that I'm doing at a time that need to be worked on.  
  
I apologize for any people who would really scream at the pause of this story (which I doubt there are fans)  
  
Thank you.  
  
Kree 


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